


sdr2 || false sun delusion (grave of void dreams)

by BloodyCarnage



Series: Hinanami Role Swap AU [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different Protagonist (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Angst, Character Death, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Future Foundation (Dangan Ronpa), Gen, Hope vs. Despair, Human Nanami Chiaki, I Can't Believe It's Not Hajime!™, Jabberwock Island (Dangan Ronpa), Kamukura Izuru Doesn't Exist, Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Killing School Trip (Dangan Ronpa), Neo World Program (Dangan Ronpa), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Out of Character, POV Nanami Chiaki, Protagonist Nanami Chiaki, Role Swap, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:15:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26545864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodyCarnage/pseuds/BloodyCarnage
Summary: She's standing in front of a wooden door.How did she get here, again?She can't remember....She should probably hurry up and go in now.
Relationships: Hinata Hajime & Everyone, Hinata Hajime & Komaeda Nagito & Nanami Chiaki, Hinata Hajime/Nanami Chiaki, Komaeda Nagito & Nanami Chiaki, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nanami Chiaki & Everyone
Series: Hinanami Role Swap AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906615
Comments: 44
Kudos: 76





	1. ch. 0-1

**Author's Note:**

> jesus writing filler feels weird  
> also, before writing this i had no idea how hard it was to get chiaki's pov right rip my characterization  
> massive kudos to all the masterful writers out there that can write chiaki well  
> i'll try to get better i promise  
> anyway here's the prologue bois

She’s standing in front of a door.

She isn’t sure how exactly she got here; only that she opened her eyes and she was suddenly staring at a wooden mahogany door.

_This is..._

_Hope’s Peak Academy...?_

That’s right, wasn’t she a freshman Ultimate? She was scouted as the Ultimate Gamer, renowned for her proficiency in all genres of games, and her prowess in various international gaming tournaments across the world. Today was supposed to be her first day at school...?

_I... need to hurry._ She is hit with a sudden urge to open the door and step inside, and her previous train of thought immediately fades from her mind.

She twists the doorknob.

Fourteen sets of eyes are on her the moment she steps into the room.

“Ah, the last student!” She hears someone exclaim; the voice belongs to a girl with long flowing blonde hair, with a regal, composed air around her. If she had to guess, she gave her an impression of a princess in one of her games. Usually, the princess is the damsel in distress and needs to be rescued from the villain’s stronghold... Oh, she probably shouldn’t compare real-life people to video game characters, or at least that’s what she’s been told. 

There’s no way real life could be a game, after all. No matter how much she wishes otherwise.

_Are all these people first-years, too?_ She scans the room; these people seem about the right age, though the pigtailed blonde in the orange kimono seems more like a middle schooler than anything. All of them aren’t wearing any sort of standardized uniform; instead, they’re all in colourful and eccentric outfits. She recalls that Hope’s Peak doesn’t have a strict uniform code, though, so they probably really are Hope’s Peak students.

Sweeping the room over again, she spots someone sitting near the back of the room; a chestnut-haired boy in a white shirt and green tie, with an ahoge sticking out on top of his head. By how he’s buried his head in his arms, it seems like he’s dozing off on one of the desks.

...She can’t really explain it, but when she looks at him, she is hit with a feeling of déjà vu; like she knew this boy from somewhere before, but can’t quite put her finger on where or when exactly. It’s at the tip of her tongue, sitting just outside the periphery of her mind; like an itch she can’t relieve, tingling and irritating.

She tunes out the other students; it’s a useful skill to have when she needs to focus on beating a particularly hard game and not worry about anything else. Besides, it doesn’t seem like they have anything too interesting to say, mostly questions about their circumstances and how they got there. She isn’t that concerned (this is surely just some sort of entrance test, right?), so she dismisses them without a second thought.

Just as she walked over to the sleeping boy and was about to try and wake him up, a squeaky, high-pitched voice interrupted her. 

“Hey hey! You shouldn’t disturb someone sleeping that peacefully, you know!”

_Huh? Who is that?_ From what little impressions she has of her classmates, she doesn't think any one of them has a voice that would meet that profile. Judging by its tone, she would guess...

She turns her head towards the sound, and is met with the sight of a white stuffed rabbit in a cutesy pink frilled dress, pouting in annoyance, waving a plastic wand at her angrily. _Where did she come from?_ She blinks in bewilderment, eyes wide.

Suddenly, she’s aware of all the attention drawn towards her from this interaction. The rabbit seems to be blissfully unaware of all the dumbfounded stares directed towards herself, however, now going on something about "how she is their squeezably soft teacher of this school trip, 'Magical Miracle Girl ★ Usami!'"...

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees the sleeping boy lift his head from the desk and rub the sleep from his eyes with the back of his hand groggily. He mumbles out something under his breath, but it’s so soft, she barely even catches it.

**...**

Usami is still talking. “And now, let the _lovey-dovey, heart-throbbing_ school trip begin! Love, love!”

Out of nowhere, the ground starts shaking. 

“What!?”

“I-it’s an earthquake!”

“Ahh... This must be bad luck...!”

She has to steady herself on a desk to keep herself from falling over. The classroom walls fall apart around them, revealing...

_A tropical beach...?_

_I..._

_I don’t understand._

_What?_

...The world stopped making sense.

Her vision goes black.

* * *

“Hey, are you okay?”

Huh...?

She opens her eyelids.

A white-haired silhouette is hovering over her, partially blocking the sun rays from reaching her eyes.

Despite the silhouette casting a shadow over her, the sunlight is still blinding; she winces for a moment, then blinks rapidly to clear the spots from her vision.

"...You seem pretty out of it there."

Once her vision clears, she can clearly see the person now. Kneeling over her is a teenage boy wearing a green overcoat and white shirt, with a head of hair resembling a puffy cloud, and a concerned expression on his face.

"To be honest, everyone feels the same, too, since we suddenly... got put into such a weird situation." 

_Why... am I here?_

She wracks her brain, disentangling the twisted knots that had formed in her head, trying to recall what had happened.

_I think... I was standing in a classroom... and then a talking stuffed rabbit showed up... then we got transported to a strange island...?_

She tilts her head. Her surroundings...

_White sandy beach... Crystal blue ocean..._

"Mmmh... So, this isn't a dream, huh?" She tries to pinch her own cheek. It doesn't work, except for leaving her face sore and aching.

The white-haired teenager rose to his feet, sporting a carefree grin on his face. "Ahahaha, it would be more convenient if it was, wouldn't it? Except... if it's someone like me, I probably wouldn't even notice the difference...!" He crosses his arms, expression now pensive. "Anyway, I'm Komaeda Nagito, the Ultimate Lucky Student. In my opinion, it's actually kind of a disappointing talent, so I'm sure that your amazing talent would surely outshine mine!"

_Lucky Student, huh... Well, he seems friendly enough._

"I'm Nanami Chiaki, Ultimate... Gamer. Nice to meet you too." She replies flatly.

"Wonderful! I'm sure it must be an incredible talent." Nagito responds, admiration clear in his voice.

_Incredible talent... I don't know about that, but..._

"Ah, it seems that our introductions are done with for now. Then, should I show you around and introduce you to everyone else? Everyone already went ahead to explore the island by themselves, so we should probably get going if we want to catch up." He offers his hand out to her.

"That'd be great... I think." She takes his hand and lifts herself off the ground, brushing off any sand that had stuck onto her clothes.

* * *

"Hope Fragments?"

"Oh, that's right! You fainted before Usami could explain anything, so you wouldn't know. Ah, how careless of me..." He apologizes profusely. "It's the main point of the school trip. Basically, they're indicators of how well you get along with your classmates. As your relationships with everyone improve, you'll be able to gather more and more Hope Fragments. According to Usami, if we collect all the Hope Fragments, we'll be able to go home, so please do your best to gather them."

...She thinks she understands. "Ah, so it's a collectible, right? It's like a win condition, and we have to collect all of them to beat the game."

"Ahaha, if this feels like a game to you, then that's rather comforting," Nagito says. "Of course, if there's anyone that would be skilled at this, it would be expected of the Ultimate Gamer!"

_...I've never been good at dating sims, though._

It's always been her weak point. Having to guess what characters are feeling, managing relationships... It's all confusing to her.

Even before arriving at Hope's Peak, human interaction has never been her strong suit. Her parents were always busy, frequently out on one business trip or another, leaving no extra time to spend with her. To make up for it, they tried their best to buy anything she wanted, usually video games and consoles. She's been raised on games ever since she could remember. That's how she got so good at playing video games, after all. As that might suggest, however, she hasn't exactly had many opportunities for any sort of meaningful social interaction with anyone outside of her parents. 

All her life, she's always been alone, with only her games to accompany her. 

_I..._

_Can I really do this...?_

She has her doubts.

In the end, she doesn't say anything, though. Instead, she pulls out her e-Handbook from her pocket and fiddles around with its settings.

The conversation slows to a comfortable lull, and the silence is filled with the digital beeps and chimes emanating from her device and the soft footsteps of the two of them treading slowly on the golden sand along the pristine beach.

* * *

"Pekoyama-san is quite stoic, isn't she? Almost like a warrior, or a samurai! Truly, she deserves the title of the Ultimate Swordswoman." Nagito is talking animatedly, rambling about the silver-haired swordswoman they met just now.

She makes a noncommital noise of agreement, and focuses on finding the last student.

_Ah! There he is..._

The chestnut-haired boy is lounging in one of the plush seats in Hotel Mirai's Lobby. He looks somewhat dazed and listless, like he just woke up from a deep nap. In his hands is a green and white notebook, but she can't quite read the title on the cover from this angle. Nevertheless, she still goes up to him and introduces herself to collect the last Hope Fragment. 

"Mmmmh... Nice to meet you." The boy takes a large yawn. "My name is... Hinata Hajime."

Beside her, Nagito speaks up. "Nice to meet you too, Hinata-kun! Um... please forgive my asking, but what talent do you have? Ah, I'm not doubting if you have a talent or anything! It's just... I don't seem to recall seeing your name on the Hope's Peak forum boards."

_There's a Hope's Peak forum board? ...I should ask Nagito about it later, maybe I'll get some important information from it._ She didn't recall anything about a forum, but since she only took a cursory search for it in the first place, it could just be that the page was a bit obscure, and she hadn't looked closely enough.

"...My talent...?" Hajime tilts his head to the side. His tone is one of perplexed confusion, like he didn't understand why they were asking about that in the first place.

He starts. "I don't have-" Abruptly, he cuts himself off, and stares blankly off into the distance, as if deep in thought about something. She and Nagito hesitantly glance at each other. After a long pause, he responds, "Sorry... I'm the type of person who has to gather my thoughts before speaking." He breathes out a sigh. "...Anyways, I'm the Ultimate Counselor. I listen to people's problems, and give them guidance and advice... I guess."

_I... guess? That's a weird way of putting it._

Next to her, Nagito is practically glowing at this point."Ah, I see. It seems like my worries were misplaced. There's no way someone that shines so brightly wouldn't have an amazing talent as well!" _He seems quite happy, and... relieved?_ "Although, I must admit, I'm quite curious as to why you weren't mentioned in the discussion post on the new roster of Ultimates..."

"Mmmm..." He hums. "They... forgot...?" He adds, rather unconvincingly.

Nonetheless, this appears to be sufficient to satisfy Nagito for now, so she doesn't push the issue. Nagito claps his hands together and cheerily says, "Well, now that's over and done with, let's-"

Unexpectedly, a school bell rings in the distance, cutting Nagito off. At the same time, the monitor on the wall lights up. It shows Usami, sitting in a red armchair, arms spread wide. "Congratulations! It appears that everyone has collected the first Hope Fragments. I'm..." She sniffles. "I'm so happy! So, I've prepared a present for you all! Everyone, please gather at the beach! Love, love!" The monitor shuts off after that.

"...Ah, it seems that Usami has something prepared for us. Well then, shall we head to the beach? It would be best to not keep her waiting." Nagito says.

"Mmmm... Okay." Hajime takes another large yawn, then stands up to his feet. "I've got nothing better to do for now... I guess."

She doesn't see any reason to stick around as well, so she nods her head in assent, and follows the two boys out of the hotel lobby.

* * *

When they get there, everyone is already there waiting for them.

"Jeez, what took you guys so long?" Mahiru scolds.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting." Nagito apologizes.

"Hmhmhmm... I'd daresay they were engaging in some ... _activities,_ if you catch my drift..." Teruteru perversely suggests, though the insinuation is ignored by everyone else.

"Hmph, the reason for their dilly-dallying does not matter. More importantly, I want to know what that rabbit has called all of us here for." Byakuya starts looking around for Usami, though it doesn't take long for her to pop up out of nowhere.

"Magical Miracle Girl ★ Usami is here! Love, love! As a reward for your hardworking efforts to obtain your first Hope Fragments, here's a present for you all!" Usami chirpily says.

From behind her back, Usami brings out sixteen small copies of herself.

"Ta-daa! These are Usami Straps! If you squeeze the tummy, it talks. Isn't it _cuuuuute_?"

Upon seeing the students' disappointed faces, though, she quickly changes her tone. "Hawawawa, please don't throw them away just yet!"

...Regardless of her pleading, a lot of Usami Straps ended up on the beach anyway.

Instead of throwing them on the sand immediately like the others, however, she holds it closer to inspect it.

_I_ _t's kinda... cute, actually._

She slips it into her pocket.

Only two other people still have their Usami Straps; Hajime, who has fallen asleep standing, still clutching it in his hands, and Nagito, who is examining it with a mixture of intrigue and ...disdain? In the end, he still puts it into his coat pocket, though.

Usami is slumped over sadly. "Awawawawa... Everyone didn't like my gift!... Well, there's no problem. Usami always has a Plan B!" In an instant, she bounces back to her bubbly self. "And it is... these swimsuits! Now everyone can go enjoy themselves in the water! Love, love!"

Before they could go change though, all of a sudden, the sky grows cloudy.

It was near-instantaneous. Thunder rumbles, and streaks of lightning strike over the horizon, down from a pitch-black, rolling mass of thunderclouds.

"H-huh? Wh-what's happening?" Kazuichi cries out.

"I sense an endless storm of malice approaching... Even the Four Dark Devas of Destruction are in hiding... This cannot be good." Gundham's deep voice rings out.

Usami is visibly sweating buckets now. "Wha... wha-wha-wha... What is this!? I didn't do anything..."

And just when things couldn't get more chaotic and confusing...

The monitor suddenly lights up.

"Ahh... Mic check, one-two! Alright, let's get this over with!"

A gleeful, cartoonish voice blares out from the speakers.

"Enough of this 'love, love' bullshit, it's time for the main attraction! Everyone, hustle over to Jabberwock Park!"

...Her body shudders, and chills run down her spine.

_This... can't be good._

_What... is happening?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome to the Killing School Trip pilot episode! Watch as our plucky protagonist, Haji- wait, *reads script* NANAMI CHIAKI!?!?!?!?!
> 
> yeah you read that right, it's radical gamer time™
> 
> this chapter is kinda crap, but it is what it is, i guess. sorry to the people who wanted to see more of best boy, since this chapter was more nagito focused, but there will be more focus on him later on. and also no swimsuit scene XD
> 
> this probably won't be a full length rewrite of sdr2, since i don't think i have the mental fortitude to plan such a big story so far in advance and carry it to fruition successfully, so you'll probably only get small snippets and scenes here and there that i wanted to write for my au. 
> 
> the thing is, though i have a few concrete scenes i want to write (trial 5+6, free time w/ hajime, some after-trial segments), i still have mixed feelings about if i should write anything else, or change anything from the original story (trials, events, survivors), since i'm not sure how much work it would be, or if i could write fluff and filler good in the first place. if you have any suggestions please let me know!
> 
> updates WILL be sporadical, since i am a slow and inconsistent writer, but i really want to finish this! school is resuming though (actually going outside? blegh) so if you see that i haven't updated in say, a month, assume that i am busy with schoolwork and/or am too tired to write. thank you for putting up with me
> 
> also, i'm trying out different styles and formats of writing, so this became a multi-chapter fic with elements of fluff and filler instead of just a oneshot. if it feels weird/unnatural, or the pacing is wack, or the content is unbalanced, or whatever, please tell me! comments, thoughts, criticisms, all welcome!
> 
> and most of all, dont forget to COMMENT and SMASH that like button and DING that bell and SUBSCRIBE for more content  
> (im sorry)


	2. ch. 0-2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaa dr2's tone is so hard to get right  
> i swear writing dr3 was easier  
> also disclaimer: i have never played dr2. all my knowledge comes from fanfiction, art, and memes. so don't be surprised if there are characterization inconsistencies or plot holes. i try to use walkthroughs as reference as often as possible, but some mistakes might still slip through  
> this chapter is kinda meh but whatever  
> here you go

Usami's squeaky voice shouts over the commotion. Her plastic wand is grasped tightly in her arms, and her gaze frantically darting around on high alert.

"E-Everyone stay calm! Usami will take care of this!"

Despite her trembling and quivering, she still manages to puff out her chest somewhat confidently. 

The students are also glancing around in apprehension, on the lookout for... whatever that was, just on the broadcast. Akane is grinding her fists together furiously, ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

She... She has an uneasy feeling in her gut.

_This isn't going to end well._

In her games, she can usually tell when the situation is about to go bad for the protagonist, when the main villain has the upper hand, and the game's difficulty takes a huge spike. _This is probably one of those times_ , she thinks. But while she can easily guess the main plot twists and cliches in her games, this time...

She clutches onto her backpack straps tightly.

"Show yourself, you big meanie! Where are you hiding!?" Usami cries.

...

" ** _Puhuhuhuhuhuhu!_** "

From behind the marble statue in the center of the park, a monochrome... teddy bear springs out, does a pirouette in the air, and lands right in front of the statue.

"Missed me, guys?" He cackles loudly. It's grating and unpleasant.

Usami gasps. "You-!"

"I am Monokuma, the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy! And as headmaster, the first thing I have to say is..."

He clears his throat.

"This! Is! So! Lame! Lame, lame, lame! Even lamer than that stupid, walking, talking stuffed toy over there!" Irately, he continues ranting. "What's with this bullshit? 'Love, love'? God, it makes me just want to puke! Ugh!" 

Though she's still quaking like a leaf, Usami still manages to muster up the courage to stand defensively between the group and Monokuma.

"I-I won't let you have your way! I-I'll protect them! Stay back, everyone!"

She points her wand at Monokuma. The tip starts to flash a bright red, blinking on and off. Waving it around, she starts to chant, and...

The wand fizzles, and wisps of white smoke escape from the tip of the wand. Usami looks panicked.

On the other hand, Monokuma looks extremely unimpressed. Before any of them can react, he leaps forward and punches Usami square in the face, hard. She goes flying; her plastic wand is left on the ground, broken in two.

"Now that's done and over with..."

He brushes off his paws. His one red eye seems to glow more than usual. There's a nasty sneer on Monokuma's face.

"I hereby declare this dumb school trip over! Instead..."

She takes a moment to remember to breathe. _In, out. In, out._ Despite her efforts, she finds it hard to breathe; the air is thick with tension, so tense she can barely move, rooted to her spot. _Whatever comes out of his mouth next, it can't be good._

There's a sense of approaching doom.

...

" ** _You all will participate in a mutual killing game! Anything goes! Bludgeoning, stabbing, strangling, you name it!_** "

A moment of silence passes, and chaos ensues. 

"W-what did you say, you bastard!?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"I d-don't wanna die! Someone help, please!"

Everyone's screaming all at once. There's a cacophony of shouting; it's making her lightheaded, like she's underwater and she's sinking ( _this can't be real_ ), she can hear her blood rushing in her ears _(why is this happening),_ her heart pounding hard on her ribcage ( _why_ ); she's, she's, she's...

...

It's the Ultimate Counselor's voice that grounds her and pulls her back to reality. The teen has a steely look in his eye as he stares down Monokuma.

"No one is going to play your stupid game. You're all-" He pauses for a moment. Everyone's attention is on him; even Monokuma is intently staring at him, scrutinizing. "We're all friends here, right?" Solemnly, he scans the crowd.

His voice is... surprisingly calming. Before she knows it, her breathing slows, and her heart returns beating at a normal pace. Behind her, Nagito practically has sparkles in his eyes. "So this is the shining talent of the Ultimate Counselor... How amazing..." he whispers.

Fuyuhiko scoffs; he puts on a cocky grin as he laughs, "Ha! Friends? Don't make me laugh." Seeming to have already forgotten his earlier loss of composure, he confidently faces down Monokuma. "Tch. If you think I'm just gonna take that lying down, then you've got another thing coming."

Peko speaks up. "He is right. Who would even dare try to kill...?" She reaches behind her back and pulls out her wooden sword. Settling into an offensive position, she readies her sword and points it at Monokuma. "I'll put a stop to this, with _force_ if necessary," she warns.

Akane and Nekomaru also chime in with sounds of agreement. With Ibuki cheering in the background, they advance on Monokuma slowly, one step at a time. Just when he seems to be cornered, however...

"Puhuhuhu! Violence against the headmaster is not allowed!" Monokuma sing-songs with a malicious edge in his voice.

With a snap of his fingers, the ground starts to rumble, and... the statue transforms into five giant mechanical beasts. A horse, a snake, a tiger, an eagle, and a gorilla. The advancing students recoil at the sight.

"Puhuhuhuhu! Try challenging me _now_ , losers!" Monokuma maniacally cackles.

...

She... She can't do anything but numbly stare.

_This sort of thing... only happens in video games, right?_

She tries to speak, but her throat can't seem to form any words. The others seem to be at a loss as to what to do. They stand aghast, gawking at the mechs, unable to do much else. Even Hajime, who so bravely stood up to Monokuma just now, is stunned into silence.

Monokuma's pleased as punch. " _That's_ what I thought!" He rubs his paws together. "Now, any more questions?"

There is no response. Monokuma exuberantly laughs.

" **Then, without further ado, _let the killing school trip begin!_** "

Those haunting words settle in.

_There's no way someone would actually kill, right?_

...

_...There's no way I can know for sure._

Yet, in this nightmare of this situation, she doesn't have the confidence to say her thoughts aloud.

...Suspicion builds. Tension rises. Can she say with confidence, that she absolutely trusts someone here?

_Absolute trust in someone... Is that even realistic?_

With each beat of her heart, a sharp, stabbing fear pierces through her. Dread and anxiety mix and blend into a boulder in her heart, weighing heavy on her mind.

She feels powerless. Hopeless, even.

_...What should I do? No, what could I even do?_

_In the face of this monstrosity..._

She can't do anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long wait! this chapter took a long time to get out, mostly because i'm immigrating to another country, and moving is a hassle, but also i had some serious writer's block in the middle, where i had to binge watch some sdr2 walkthroughs to get through. still, i feel like this is still somewhat not up to par, so if you have any criticism or suggestions, please tell me in the comments!
> 
> so monokuma is here, and things aren't pretty at all. rip usami, I guess (no one actually liked you enough to care though) also monokuma really just did a "call an ambulance but not for me" huh
> 
> only one scene this time, so hopefully it's long enough to fill for a whole chapter. i wanted to fill more characterization in, but sadly, plot came first this time, and by the time I had written most of the chapter, it was too late to add more character development in. also, i have decided that most of the sdr2 cast will have semi-minor roles in this fic, since the focus isn't on them, so you'll maybe see some of them pop up and say something here and there, but it won't be very frequent.
> 
> as always, comments, thoughts and criticisms are appreciated!


	3. ch. 1-1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU THOUGHT I WAS DEAD, BUT IT WAS I, DIO!  
> shitty jojo references aside, welcome to the biyearly update of this fic, where i write about 1000 words per chapter then sink back into the void of nothingness and schoolwork, and reemerge about six months later.  
> jkjk  
> unless...?
> 
> rip my schedule

She can't sleep.

She's been staring at the wooden ceiling of her cabin for half an hour now, breath even, lying on her bed completely straight, hands folded over her stomach. It's not a very comfortable position for her to be sleeping in; but, somehow, she can't bring herself to move from her spot.

She has experience with staying up late- quite a lot, in fact; at this hour of the night, she'd normally be hyper-focused on a new game that was just released, leveling up a new character, or grinding for some rare items, or beating the final boss of a particularly hard level. All throughout the early hours of the morning, she'd be tapping away, mashing buttons on her controller, performing combos and vanquishing enemies left and right. She'd feel like the main character of the story; the strong, plucky, confident heroine who never gave up and always made things right. All throughout the night, her room would be illuminated by the colourful flashing lights emitting from the screen and filled with beeps and dings and an occasional jaunty tune she hums along to; fully consumed and enraptured by this vibrant, exciting, dynamic new world, all contained in her very own, personal, tiny box.

...All of that's meaningless, now, as her room doesn't even feature any of her gaming consoles. There's nothing to break the dead silence of her surroundings, nothing to distract her from the relentless pounding of her heart against her ribcage, nothing to accompany her throughout the long, dark night, nothing to stop her mind from wandering...

Her fingers twitch involuntarily.

...She has half a mind to dart to the hotel lobby now, just to go a few rounds on the arcade machines there.

Sitting up, she pulls down the blinds and checks her window one last time, to make sure the coast is clear.

The glistening crescent moon hangs low in the sky, cascading moonlight shining through the thin gaps; the waves creeping gently, silently, steadily, bubbling snow-white froth far under her windowsill. There's no one in sight, the walkway deserted.

...

She pulls on her hoodie, and slings her cat backpack over her shoulder, and pushes open the door to her cabin.

It's time to go.

* * *

Before she can reach her destination, however, she's stopped in her tracks. By someone in particular, in fact.

Komaeda Nagito sits at the edge of the pool, legs dangling over the edge, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings as he gazes demurely up at the moon, entranced. If she were, say, a photographer, or a painter, or just a person with an eye for sophistication and taste, she might have thought that this was a beautiful, tranquil scene. But she's not any of that, so she does something a normal person would do in this situation (she hopes so anyway), and stands there awkwardly (creepily?), staring at him. 

She's debating whether to say anything or not when, all of a sudden, Nagito takes notice of her, and startles. "Nanami-san?" he asks, tentatively. She barely catches it, but she thinks she saw an alerted, tense expression briefly flash on his face, before dissolving completely, into a relaxed and easy-going atmosphere. ...It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but at that moment, he kind of reminded her of a frightened, defenseless bunny, eyes wide and ready to dart at any moment.

...

Though he isn't saying anything, the way he slightly shifts his body to make room for an empty spot next to him, on the edge of the pool, _almost_ feels like a tempting invitation for her to sit down, and...

_...And what?_

What _is_ she supposed to do? It's a path of branching choices, like in a visual novel, or a dating sim. Try and strike up a friendly conversation? Or sit there silently, and accompany him in his moongazing? ...Should she even sit down? It isn't as if Nagito has given explicit confirmation that he wants to spend time with her. Maybe she should just leave, and go back to her original plan of playing on the arcade machines in the hotel lobby...

...Thankfully, it's Nagito who takes the initiative. "Can't sleep?" he prompts, sympathetically, patting the ground next to him. It's a question that requires no verbal response, so she simply nods her head, and settles down next to Nagito.

The silence that ensues is both comfortable and awkward at the same time. Nagito resumes his moon-gazing, raising his head to the moon again; she sits quietly beside him, head dipped slightly, observing the small ripples forming and dissipating in the pool.

It's... oddly calming, she realises. The waves have a particular rhythm to them, washing to and fro, making the stray leaves flutter and quiver in the tranquil water. The leaves tumble and turn, and finally, they sink beneath the surface, overburdened by the volumes of water pressing them down.

-Abruptly, Nagito breaks the silence. "Nanami-san, you should be getting some rest, you know," he chides in a soft voice, "you're looking a little pale."

"I know, but..." She trails off. She doesn't offer any explanation; partly because it's pretty obvious by this point without needing her to spell it out, and partly out of the unwillingness to spill her worries.

She doesn't need to, however, as Nagito continues. "Something's worrying you, right?" he pauses for a moment, "...Ah, what a stupid question. It'd be weird if you weren't worrying in a situation like this." He sighs. 

Another silence; another lull in the conversation. She takes the opportunity to retreat into her thoughts for a moment. Dimly, she's aware that she's probably supposed to be more engaged in this conversation than she is now, but any response seems either inadequate or redundant or a combination of both, and she keeps her silence.

Komaeda Nagito... the Ultimate Lucky Student. On the surface, he seems harmless enough. An sincere, yet slightly awkward teenager with a mild self-deprecating streak. On the first day of that two-toned bear's arrival, he had declared to the group that he believed in everyone there, that they wouldn't kill, wouldn't bend to Monokuma's _twisted_ game. With an earnest smile, and comforting words, he backed up Hajime and Byakuya, as they tried to keep order in this chaotic group.

...

But somehow, she can't seem to shake _that feeling_. That feeling of paranoia, of distrust, the tiny, little seeds of doubt. That he could just turn on a whim. That he knows just a little more than he's willing to let up on, that he was willing to go to any lengths to achieve his goals, that he was willing to put a knife in her back when she isn't looking without the slightest hesitation...

Realistically, she knows that she can't go on like this. Being this wary and suspicious of everyone else won't do her any good. She'd end up isolating herself, tucked away in her own safe little bubble, away from the whole world. And she... 

_She knows what that's like_.

And besides, looking at Nagito's carefree smile as he gazes longingly at the moon and rambles on and on about talent, and hope, and luck, and friendship, and his awkward little jokes that don't quite land, and his small frown when he lets slip another one of his self-deprecating comments, she can't bring herself to doubt him.

_Maybe this once... Just this once..._

_..._

She brushes off any lingering thoughts and tries to refocus on what Nagito is saying at the moment. Or rather, rambling on about.

"- _and then_ , I found a lottery ticket, just laying there, right next to me!" He takes a breather, and continues, "- _and-and_ \- when I went to check the numbers on the ticket, it turned out to be the _winning numbers_!" He's a little breathless as he says the last part, "That day, I remember going home with a huge bag of prize money, with no idea what to do with it...! Ahaha, I was so confused!" 

She listens attentively, and hangs onto his every word. They talk through the night, and when they're exhausted, the sun is already peeking out from beyond the horizon.

_...I think Nagito and I grew a little closer today._

_Hope Fragment obtained!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> must... update... fic... send... help... pls
> 
> took an entire month to finish this chapter. most of the time was spent on schoolwork and shockingly, sleeping (i know, i know, what a weakling amirite?), and i could only work on this fic on weekends. so if you're still here, thanks for waiting!
> 
> (btw i also renamed the chapters to keep consistency)
> 
> comments are my lifeblood. without them i will literally shrivel up and die. pls comment. thanks for reading. yeet. bye.


	4. ch. 1-2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa finally  
> i managed to squeeze out one(1) chapter. thank the gods  
> low quality as it is, i hope u enjoy  
> maybe leave a comment too if u feel like it k bye

The sound of manic laughter fills the room.

  


Every one of her classmates stands still, eyes wide open, frozen with shock and fear.

  


...

  


Komaeda Nagito. Her friend.

  


The first friend she made ever since coming to this island.

  


The one who had stayed behind on that beach to make sure that she was okay.

  


A calming presence, always there, always willing to listen to her worries and quell her fears and concerns.

  


_...I should have seen this coming,_ she thinks to herself.

  


_...I should have just trusted my instincts and kept my distance._

  


Her eyes feel empty. Her chest, too.

  


**_But you never learn, do you?_ **

  


It's Komaeda Nagito who's manically cackling and wheezing, body hunched over his podium for support, gleefully confessing to a heinous deed that had happened earlier in the evening, and with it, had cruelly and without remorse taken her classmate's life away.

  


Droplets of saliva dribble out of his mouth as he rants and raves like a madman, sparing no detail about the nitty-gritty of how he had orchestrated the blackout and committed the bloody murder.

  


How he volunteered to clean the old building with sinister intentions in mind, and had taken the opportunity to set up the irons and the air conditioner, and hid the kitchen knife under the table to pass through Byakuya's security checks.

  


How he had snuck his way under the table in the darkness, retrieved the knife, brutally stabbing Byakuya with it, using the tablecloth as cover from the blood splatter.

  


How he had nonchalantly stalked back to his original position, just in time for the lights to turn on, and continued drinking as if nothing had happened. Pretended to be just as shell-shocked and distressed as all of them to not stand out, to blend in amongst the class.

  


How he had helped _her_ with the investigation wearing a sincere smile on his face, helpfully pointing out clues and evidence hidden just _barely_ out-of-sight, but when in hindsight, were still a little too obvious, like they were _intentionally_ planted there, just so he could mislead and toy with her, some _twisted_ mind game he was playing with her, a trail of breadcrumbs littered by the culprit, leading up to the big reveal, the revelation that **-**

  


_That-_

  


She falters. All the anger and frustration built up until that point simmer, and boil down.

  


She's not sure what to think anymore. 

  


She can't make sense of what he did. _Why?_ Her short-circuited mind can only produce this one word. Her brain desperately shuffles through all her conversations with him, his behaviour, his actions- anything so she can make heads or tails about his motivations.

  


Inexplicably, her mind drifts back to the swimming pool in front of Hotel Mirai, beneath a gentle, moonlit night. To a boy, crouched over her on the sand, a concerned expression on his face. To a laugh, carefree and joyful.

  


_How much of that was an act...?_

  


...

  


_No._

  


_She can't keep thinking about this._

  


She looks up, fire burning in her steely gaze, locking straight onto... _that person_.

  


Her mouth feels parched, despite her not having spoken anything for a while now. She swallows her saliva. 

  


There's an unpleasant, sour tang in her mouth that tastes like iron filling, and her teeth are clamped so tightly _it hurts_ , and she's sure her gums are sore and swollen right now. Her nails dig into her palms so forcefully that it would probably leave ugly, red marks. But she powers through.

  


She has to.

  


( ~~ _She ignores the hollow feeling in her chest. Ignores how they stir up old memories and dug up phantom pains in her heart._~~ )

  


Without her noticing, the trial room has burst into a frenzied mess of voices being thrown left and right, and it's a confusing cacophony of sounds that almost drowns out her small, timid voice. She tries again, only more forcefully this time, raising her voice by a few decibels.

  


She presses forward with determination. _It's now or never._

  


Despite the detailed explanation that Komaeda gave out, she catches it. A small inconsistency. A fault in the logic. A slight contradiction, that, if one wasn't looking closely, it would have slipped under the radar undetected.

  


She glances at Mikan, who is trembling behind her podium, trying to speak up. It seems that she, too, has caught the contradiction, judging by the desperate cries to grab attention that she's letting out.

  


Sending a quick, (hopefully) reassuring nod to Mikan, and with a determined pose and stature, she points dramatically at Komaeda and refutes, " **No, that's wrong!** "

  


_The autopsy results...!_

  


She summons up all her bravery, and recalls her extensive breadth of knowledge and experience of playing through Ace Attorney. Bracing herself, she gathers her thoughts into a single, word-piercing bullet, and shouts, "It's impossible for you to have stabbed Byakuya! **Because... the knife can't be the murder weapon!!!** "

  


...

  


The room silences. Her words hang in the air for a moment, then they sink in. Cries of confusion, frustration, and disbelief blend together.

  


" **Haaaah?** What do you mean that Komaeda isn't the killer? He already confessed, you know?"

  


" **P-p-p-plot twist!** Aaaah, how unexpected! **Is this fo' reaaaaaalz**????"

  


She takes a deep breath to steady herself. Her eyes are dry. She remembers to blink.

  


Komaeda is staring (glaring?) at her, an unreadable look on his face. He is eerily calm for someone in his situation. Like he already predicted this would happen.

  


Or does he just... not care? About what's going to happen to him, or his classmates?

  


...Either way, it's up to her to expose the lies in this courtroom. 

  


Komaeda Nagito... her first friend. _~~Her enemy.~~_

  


She faces him down.

  


...

  


_Why did you orchestrate this? The set-up, the blackout, the murder..._

  


_What are you thinking? What are you feeling? Komaeda's visage is blurry. From her position, she can't see what expression he's making right now._

  


_...Was everything just a lie?_

  


_...Was it all an act? Or, is the Komaeda I met on the beach still in there somewhere?_

  


_...Is this, the 'real' you?_

  


_...Are they just the same person?_

  


Questions without answers buzz around noisily in her head.

  


_There's..._

  


_There's nothing else to do in this situation, is there? Nowhere else to go?_

  


...The atmosphere is so tense. Everyone is focused on her now. The _entire_ discussion, the _only_ way forward, hinges on what she's about to say.

  


...

  


~~_The pressure is... sickening._ ~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jesus christ ao3 let me post this already what in the fuck is happening with your servers


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